Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship sees increase

An award that has been helping students since 1998 has recently received a major boost.Beginning in the fall of 2015 the Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship will now be awarded to one incoming first-time freshman and will be renewable for up to four years.

In previous years, the award has been a one year, non-renewable scholarship. However after much discussion within the Alumni Association board of directors, it has been extended to the possibility of being awarded to a student for up to eight consecutive semesters.

The $1,500-per-year scholarship will be awarded to the selected student in two $750 increments, one per semester. The board of directors for the association hopes to continue to grow funds for the scholarship to be able to award it to multiple students per year.

The board wanted the scholarship to have a more meaningful and lasting impact on the recipients, Daniel Johnson director or Alumni Services said. As there is a growing expectation that the recipients will serve in an active leadership role with the Future Alumni Network, our multi-year commitment to them will encourage their on-going participation and engagement.

In order to qualify for the scholarship students must be first-time, full-time freshmen coming in with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Those who are qualified will be required to fill out an application, as well as submit a one to two-page paper in which they have interviewed family members who have preceded them at NSU, describing the effect their experiences had on them and how that has shaped the expectations of the student who is about to begin his or her time at NSU.

The board then decides on the final recipient based on high school academic performances, extracurricular activities, demonstrated leadership and community service. Primary preference is also given to those with alumni family members who maintain active Alumni Association member status.

In order for a student to renew the scholarship each year, he or she must maintain full-time status at NSU with at least a 3.0 GPA, actively service on the Advisory Board for FAN, attend one AA board meeting per academic year and be willing to work with the association for the purposes of publicity for AA and the NSU Foundation.

Scholarship applications must be mailed and postmarked byMay 15or delivered to the Branscum Alumni Center by5 p.m. onMay 15.

For more information about the Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship, please contact the Office of Alumni Services at 918-458-2143 oralumni@nsuok.edu.